Texas Senate taking up redistricting bill

By Joseph Lord
Contributing Writer

The Texas Senate was set Friday to take up a bill to redraw Texas’s congressional maps to increase Republicans’ hold on the state’s U.S. House delegation by as many as five seats. 

The Senate had not yet voted on the bill as of the publication of this story. 

The bill was expected to pass through the Republican-dominated upper chamber, at which point it will go to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. In line with a request from President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice, the bill would redraw the state’s congressional boundaries to favor Republicans. 

Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed a legislative package to authorize a Nov. 4 referendum to redraw California’s congressional maps in favor of Democrats. The changes are expected to be approved in the Democratic stronghold. 

The map could increase Democrats’ hold on California’s U.S. House delegation by as many as five seats, endangering several previously safe Republicans. 

On Thursday evening, the state Senate’s Special Committee on Congressional Redistricting met to discuss the bill, voting 5-3 in favor of reporting the bill to the Senate with a favorable recommendation. 

The Texas House of Representatives passed the legislation on Wednesday, after the more than 50 Democrats who had left the state earlier returned after it became clear that California would approve a legislative response to Texas’ passage of the bill. 

Those Democrats returned to the state after a two-week standoff, during which the state Legislature was unable to achieve a quorum and was therefore gridlocked. 

They returned after two conditions were met: the introduction of a legislative response in California and the end of the first special session of the state Legislature, which had been declared by Abbott. 

Abbott announced a second special session on Aug. 15. 

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said on Monday that the Legislature had achieved a quorum and was able to move forward on the bill. 

Abbott is expected to sign the legislation if the Senate gives its assent to the bill. 

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